City of Delusions (The Dying World Book 2)

by John Triptych

  The journey took a few minutes, but they had made it onto one of the main underground sluice-ways. Since the water was fed directly from the springs, there was no foul odor that greeted their sense of smell. Seeing a gaggle of distant torchlights ahead of them, Cirine gestured at them to proceed forward.

  Corym turned to look at the matriarch. “Who are those up ahead of us?”

  “Keep walking,” Cirine said tersely while gesturing at the stretcher bearers to keep up.

  Corym bit his lip but didn’t protest. As they got closer, it was clear that the group before them numbered over two dozen, with quite a few carrying their own torches for illumination. When they got to within fifty paces, the visage of Lord Nylius and Elevis were now obvious to everyone. The others who stood beside the Grand Magus seemed to have glassy-eyed stares and stooped listlessly, as if their minds were half-asleep. Corym and Acro looked at each other in mild confusion, but they nevertheless kept walking until both groups just stood a few yards apart.

  Cirine placed her hands at her hips. Her guards were no doubt all dead by now, but at least she had escaped. “So you finally received my message?”

  Nylius made a slight bow at the matriarch. “Elevis did,” he said, glancing over at the young Striga who wore plate armor beside him. “We had dispatched a messenger to go to your manse earlier this evening, but it seems he was intercepted. If you had not sent a thought message to my Striga, we would not have found out about the attack until it was too late.”

  Cirine grimaced. “Our cause was betrayed, and now House Aranida is making their move to destroy my family. Once they are finished with us, they will turn on you.”

  Nylius looked away, a sense of disappointment on his face. “The guns have not been recovered. Until the time when we have those weapons, I cannot mount an attack with the sporemen.”

  Cirine continued to look confident. “You will not need those weapons,” she said. “Observe.”

  Four of the mindless ones instantly looked up, as if somehow animated. They drew the swords on their hips and advanced upon Cirine’s group. Corym cried out in alarm as he drew his own blade and stood in front of the others. Kardra and the two slaves took a step back and cowered in fear, expecting the worst.

  Acro had a short sword in a leather scabbard by his hip, but he was too terrified to draw it. “By the gods, what is happening?”

  Nylius watched in amazement as the four mindless ones converged on Corym, their fast attacks narrowly being parried by the first husband of House Kentis as he retreated in fear. Nylius turned to look at Elevis. “Is that your doing?”

  Elevis herself had a surprised look on her face. “No, it is not I who is controlling them.”

  The four glassy eyed men suddenly stopped, their flashing blades and stances frozen like statues.

  Corym could barely contain his relief as he turned to look at the matriarch. “Cirine? What is this about?”

  Cirine shifted her gaze at Corym. “Before Laox died, he named you as the spy for Matriarch Tanys. I know you both did not like each other, so I am giving you the chance to speak the truth. Like Laox, you have your thought defenses up, and I cannot discern your true intent. Speak now and I shall be merciful.”

  Corym shook his head violently. “Laox lied to you! I am forever loyal to you, Matriarch. I would not dare to-to ever betray you to the House of Aranida.”

  Elevis cleared her throat. While the first husband’s mental blocks were directed at the matriarch, he had failed to anticipate another Striga being there. “He is lying.”

  Cirine frowned. Corym had always made himself out as a buffoon and it sort of alleviated her suspicions of him. Her fondness for his sexual prowess made her doubly blind to his ruse. “Farewell, First Husband. I shall find another of your ilk in the slave pits once order is restored to the city.”

  Corym flailed wildly with his blade, trying desperately to hold off the renewed attacks by the four mindless ones facing him. He was able to jab through one of their hands, but Corym was aghast when his opponent didn’t drop the weapon he was holding. Another mindless one stabbed him in the shoulder, right at the gap in his armor, and Corym screamed in pain while recoiling backwards, but he was now out of room. Another sword point embedded itself in his knee and he fell backwards, his back colliding with a damp wall along the sluiceway. Two of the mindless ones thrust their sword points at the same time, goring him in the lower stomach underneath the breastplate. A third impaling attack caught him in the throat, tearing through his main arteries. Corym started choking on his own blood before closing his eyes for good.

  Cirine turned to look at Nylius, who was visibly impressed. “Our alliance is thus sealed.”

  Flanked by her bodyguards, Matriarch Tanys of House Aranida strode through the wreckage of the compound until she got to the steps leading up to the main entryway. Corpses were strewn all around and the mercenaries in her employ were still busy looting the place. Most of the guards in the Kentis retinue had fought to the last, while many of the house slaves predictably surrendered. Ujurok was standing near the collapsed doorway and he quickly noticed her presence. The leader of the Stingers made his way down to her and gave a slight bow in respect.

  Tanys placed her hands on her narrow hips. “Did you find them?”

  Ujurok let out a deep breath. He wasn’t used to failure. “I am afraid not, milady. The matriarch of House Kentis, along with her immediate family has escaped through the sewers. I had deployed a troop of my men in the nearby gutters, but I have not heard from them. Nevertheless, we have killed most of her men, so this is a great victory for us.”

  Tanys sneered. “Fool! As long as the matriarch of House Kentis lives, your task is not done. There is no doubt that she was able to unite with her allies in the Magi Order. Tell your cutthroats to cease their looting and prepare for another assault. We must finish it all by this eventide.”

  Ujurok was aghast. Launching an attack against the Temple of Vis meant that they would be facing the Magi. “B-but milady, my men would not be able to sustain a lot of our dead, nor would they be motivated enough if we go against the Magi Order. My group has taken heavy losses in this one battle alone, and I could be removed from command if we lose too many more.”

  Tanys gritted her teeth. This was the reason why she hated dealing with mercenaries. In the end, they were a craven lot when it came to hard fought battles, for they tended to value their lives more highly than their contracts. “Tell your men that they can keep all the valuables they have taken in this compound. How many other mercenary groups are with us now?”

  Ujurok thought about it for a minute before answering. “The Silver Shields, the Bleed and the Sellswords have been fully absorbed by my group, along with large numbers of the Sons of the Sun and the Dark Cloaks. If you could grant me more coin, I could talk to the remaining members of the Black Dargons and the Fetid Spears, those are the remaining groups that are keeping order in the freemen district as of now. With the majority of the mercenary groups with us, we could possibly succeed against the Magi, but the cost shall be high.”

  Tanys looked away briefly. Most of the mercenaries didn’t believe the stories about the Magi possessing an army of dead-eyed men, and they could very well waver if Nylius had learned of a way to control them properly. Nevertheless she needed to take the chance, and she had another secret weapon that would be brought into play to ensure her ultimate victory. “Do so. I shall provide you with all the coin you need. Send messengers out to all the mercenary groups in the city. If they wish to avenge themselves upon the Magi, then they shall be given their chance right now.”

  Chapter 17

  The siege on the Temple of Vis had begun in earnest. The night was illuminated by countless fires in the central district. Numerous mercenary groups converged into the area, united in a frantic cause to be rid of the Magi Order. A battering ram was brought forth from the successful sacking of House Kentis, and positioned upon the massive bronze gates in front of the walled compound. An oc
casional Magus would pop up from the battlements at the top of the walls and hurl an invisible wave of force at the men below, causing whole groups of mercenaries to tumble backwards and stunning them. The mercenaries responded by keeping archers at the ready, and after a few of the defending Magi took some arrows in their heads and necks, the resistance at the top of the walls soon wavered. The mercenaries gathered their courage back and once again began to use the battering ram to force open a breach. At the same time, leather ropes were thrown up at the battlements, and men began to climb over to the top.

  Less than an hour later, the gate was finally opened when individual mercenaries came over the walls and opened it partially from the inside, enabling a massive influx of reinforcements to pour through. Small groups of Magi were waiting for them behind the courtyard, and used their mindforce powers to plow through scores of their opponents before engaging in close combat. The mercenaries had the numbers, but each Magus was equal to at least two dozen of their foes. The battle soon descended into a chaotic, swirling melee, with no indication as to which side was gaining the upper hand.

  The main latrines were located in a small building near the side of the Grand Temple. The entire place was a long, narrow room, with raised alcoves along its sides. The toilets themselves were built like stone boxes with holes on top of them, with a trench carrying waste water beneath it. The chamber had been deserted ever since the siege began, but if one pressed their ear to the floor they would have heard a faint chiseling noise that steadily grew louder. Within moments, one of the toilet tops suddenly crumbled away, and Zeren pushed his way up and emerged from underneath it. As soon as he got on his feet, Zeren turned around and helped Miri to get out from the same rupture.

  Zeren had a leather rope tied to his waist, with a sack holding the other end. He opened the large leather pack and began to don his brigandine armor. “It is not the easiest way to travel, but we are here.”

  Miri pulled up the spear from underneath the broken toilet. She had purposely left the weapon of Kaelr behind, just before she was let into the city and betrayed. It felt like a missing part of her had been returned. Now the only thing that mattered to her was the boy. “You have my thanks for getting me this far.”

  Zeren gave her a smile as he strapped on his vambraces. He was thankful that nobody was using the latrine when they came up, otherwise his equipment would have smelled even worse. “I have brought along some steel bracers for your arms, but we did not have much time to find you a suitable armor for your chest.” He took out a pair of arm-guards and handed it to her.

  Miri strapped the bracers on her forearms. “My thanks once again. Do you have any inkling as to where they have Rion?”

  Zeren thought about it while putting on the metal greaves over his boots. “If they have discovered the boy’s true intentions, then they must attempt to indoctrinate him.” He made a slight gasp. “If they are truly that wicked, then they would place him in one of their gardens, where the mindless ones are created.”

  Miri grimaced. She turned and headed towards the exit. “I must get to him before they destroy his mind.”

  “Wait,” Zeren said as he strapped on his sword belt before hurrying after her. Miri was still somewhat weak from her wounds so he easily caught up to her near the edge of the doorway. “You are still unsteady from your recent injuries. It is best you stay by my side.”

  She looked at him. There was a hurried desperation in her eyes. “Rion is only a child, if his mind is lost, then I shall be lost too.”

  Zeren placed a reassuring hand on her trembling shoulders. “Do not torment yourself, Miri. When I met that boy in the catacombs of this place, he impressed me with his craftiness and devotion to you. Fear not, we shall find him.”

  Miri gave a faint smile. “I am not sure why you are doing this. With the city in chaos you could pretty much do as you please now.”

  Zeren bit his lip. He nearly blurted out the truth. He was attracted to her, but he had a feeling that she would only trust him if he proved himself first. He gave her a grin that belied his notoriety. “I … have nothing better to do at this moment. So why not aid a beautiful woman in a just cause?”

  Miri shook her head while peering out into the nearby courtyards. There was a battle near the main gates, but this part of the compound was still somewhat subdued. “I would have never guessed that a man such as you would involve oneself in an ideal like this.”

  “The boy did save my life, so I owe him for that,” Zeren said as they both stepped out into the avenue. “And I have a score to settle here. Follow me.”

  They both made a dash to the side of the temple and pressed themselves along its shadowy alcoves. Two Magi ran along the darkened street and passed by without noticing them. Zeren came upon a sealed side door and used his mindforce to shatter the lock before throwing it open. Drawing his broadsword, he led the way, followed closely by Miri. The side entryway had into a narrow trench which ended at the foot of some stone steps, indicating that they were in the deeper chambers of the temple. Keeping their heads low, Zeren and Miri quickly made their way towards the back end, near the base of the massive altar. Just as they trotted over to the main level of the hall, another man came out behind the massive statue of Vis and faced them.

  It was Vytor. He had on a segmented cuirass on his chest, thick leather faulds on his hips, with chainmail covering the rest of his body. Like all Vis users, his head was bare in order to fully utilize his powers. He raised a gauntleted hand and pointed at Zeren. “I have been looking for you for many days now, Grimgrin.”

  Zeren felt he no longer had to hide, so he stood fully upright. “How did you know we were here?”

  “We have Strigas in this alliance now, Grimgrin,” Vytor said smugly. “We knew you were coming for a long time. Your entrance through the latrines was very clever, yet doomed to fail. Matriarch Cirine and the Grand Magus are busy coordinating the defense, but I am more than a match for you and your slave woman.”

  Zeren glanced over at Miri. “Go. Find the boy. I shall take care of this one.”

  Miri started running along the sides of the hallway, hoping to get around their opponent. Vytor gestured with his hand and a small altar became suspended in the air before hurling itself at her. Miri dived onto the floor and rolled as the small pedestal narrowly missed her, smashing itself against one of the support columns. Zeren drew his sword and used his Vis to propel himself forward as he held the point of his blade horizontally, but Vytor used his mindforce to jump on top of the stone platform near the main altar, and Zeren missed him by a few feet before both men faced each other once more.

  Miri sensed Rion’s presence nearby. Running along near the back divider of the altar, she noticed a flight of stairs leading up to a tower. Gripping her spear with one hand, she raced across the side of the hall and quickly ran up the stone steps. By the time she made it up to the upper landing, her injured lungs were gasping for air. She could somehow hear the boy’s thoughts calling out to her, and now that she was by a door seemingly made of gold, it felt like he was in the next room beyond. After sliding the bolt from the lock, Miri opened the door and stepped through.

  Almost immediately she fell on her knees as the spores in the air penetrated her lungs. The room was some sort of garden, with brown soil and strange, glowing plants all around her. At first she felt a slight sense of euphoria with her initial breath, but it became apparent that her limbs had gone numb and she was now on her knees. A feeling of lethargy crept over her entire body, making her eyelids heavy in anticipation for much needed sleep. Miri blinked a few times before she had to will herself to stop, for she had a distinct feeling that if she closed her eyelids one more time, she would never be able to open them again.

  The spear was lying on the ground beside her, but she had lost all sensation in her hands. Miri crawled forward when she realized that the door behind her had closed. Turning her head, she noticed that there was someone standing by the side of the entryway, wearing a weird sor
t of leather mask that completely covered their face. Out of the corner of her eye, Miri saw a prone figure near the center of the row of plants. Her vision had gone blurry, but she crawled forward, giving herself a sense of purpose in order to stave off the inevitable loss of consciousness that was slowly engulfing her entire being.

  Elevis continued to stay near the entryway, confidently observing Miri’s struggles through her goggled facemask. The teen girl’s muffled voice carried a hint of amusement. “So you are the barbarian Striga who became a pit fighter and defeated the Colossus. It is a pity you were stripped of your powers, for I have always wanted to match myself against one such as yourself. Now it does not matter, for you shall become one of my minions in time.”

  Miri gasped before she held her breath. If she needed constant exposure, then perhaps she could somehow delay the inevitable by limiting the amount of air that passed through her nose and mouth. Sure enough, her vision had cleared somewhat and she continued to crawl slowly towards the person lying on the ground in front of her. With her elbows and knees caked in dirt, Miri kept up the relentless crawl until she was beside it. Her hands could barely grip the leather covering as she pulled it aside, revealing Rion’s prostrate body.

  Tears formed over Miri’s eyelids. “Rion,” she whispered, trying to nudge awake him with her forearms.

  The boy’s eyes slowly opened. He could barely move as his body refused to obey his commands. His mind was screaming for him to get up, but the spores of the otus plants had rendered his nervous system ineffective. Rion could barely remember anything now, as if his entire library of memories was slowly being taken from him. A distant recollection of his time with Miri was all he could look back on, and he held onto it like it was the only thing that ever mattered.